1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to clocks and timekeeping devices, as well as electronic identification and information devices, including those used for tracking and detection, and more particularly to a portable and self-contained support system with optional features that enhance the tracking and detection of canines, other animals, or items, including humans and machinery.
2. Description of the Related Art
Domesticated animals are well known to, at times, operate in conjunction with human trainers/managers. Research is developing with respect to dolphins and their ability to help divers in open water. Animals may be used in the future to help locate land mines and the like.
Of animals currently known, dogs are particularly well developed in some areas for a cooperative man-animal relationship. Dogs are currently utilized by man to herd other animals, guide and assist the disabled, and rescue the lost or injured, among other uses. Rescue dogs have been used in the past to a significant extent with the St. Bernard having some reputation for helping those in cold climates.
With the advent of electronic information and sensor technology, there is an as-yet unrealized ability to help coordinate animal activities with those of humans. Such potential has not yet been realized, as in the past dogs have generally operated under the voice or visual (hand signal) command of a trainer who had to be physically present to direct the dog. Such situations are common with respect to drug-sniffing dogs, and other similar dogs used by police forces and the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).
As an extension of human activity, dogs provide a significantly adaptable resource that can be trained or taught in order to help humans pursue military, police, civilian, and/or recreational goals. Generally, with more professional dogs, the animal would be highly trained in a specific field of activity.
At this time, no significant development of the man-animal relationship via electronic information and data-gathering/sensor technology has yet been achieved. There are many advantages to be realized by such an extension as the canine""s enhanced senses may lead it to better handle dangerous situations better than a human being would. Additionally, dogs are faster than human beings and are generally smaller, enabling them to travel into certain areas that would be less advantageously traveled by a human being. Also, by placing an animal in an at-risk situation, it may be possible to save human life or prevent human injury while providing advantageous benefits to certain courses of endeavor.
As yet, no longer-distance interface or interaction system is present between dogs and humans save those which have generally been known for many years.
However, with such a system, an animal, such as a dog, could provide directable or trainable means by which certain data gathering could occur in the field. The dog could act as a carrier for a data-gathering device that may interactively engage the dog and provide a variety of telemetric and environmental data.
Furthermore, while there are several commercial civilian uses of a medallion or wristwatch-type of device for pets, particularly dogs, the art would also be augmented by providing a compact miniaturized system that would allow dogs and other working animals to better communicate and indicate their whereabouts and surroundings to a human trainer or handler. The present invention provides one approach satisfying this need in the art. Additionally, location, tracking, and telemetry information of almost any article from a compact and attachable tag could provide a significant advance in the art.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of tags that provide identification and/or tracking present in the prior art, the present invention provides an identification and tracking tag, as well as a chronometer, wherein the same can be used for providing information to and from an animal with a human companion/trainer/manager. A similar tag could also be used to track and locate people and/or items. The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a compact and/or miniaturized medallion type tag system that in compact form provides wireless information about the animal and/or its surroundings to a human companion and possibly delivers commands to the animal via the medallion which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, taught, or even implied by any of the prior art tag systems either alone or in any combination thereof.
While a primary embodiment of the present invention is in conjunction with animals such as dogs, the tag system set forth herein is also applicable to people, machinery, vehicles, and the like. Consequently, the use of the term xe2x80x9cdogsxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9canimalxe2x80x9d is exemplary for all such embodiments as properly applied in the alternative environment.
In order to provide a more robust and useful identification, tracking, and location system, the present invention may use microprocessors to collect, restore, manage, display, and transceive as with a remote personal computer or personal digital assistant, PC/PDA, or other handheld device critical information of a variety of manner and sorts regarding the dog, the dog handler, and the immediate surroundings. GPS or similar tracking technology may also be used to help pinpoint the geographical location of the service dog by continual or intermittent transmission of the electronic signal to such device. In addition, detectors within the medallion/tag may be used to detect certain toxic chemicals and/or radioactive materials within the animal""s immediate surroundings. Video and audio signals could also be transmitted to a remote and monitoring PC/PDA. Transmission of an electronic image of a service dog""s immediate physical surroundings could be done via a head camera or other video image transmission device to a remote receiver, including a remote PC/PDA or other handheld device.
A small microphone or other audio sensor, embedded or coupled to the medallion/tag, may help transmit audio signals of ambient sound surrounding the animal in order to provide more information for the dog handler regarding the animal""s environment.
Additionally, a playback unit could also provide the animal audio commands that may be transmitted by analog means as by a microphone and transmission system from the handler over to the animal so that long distance audio commands may be given. Additionally, synthesized audio commands could be activated by specific digital signaling, generally in a wireless system.
Modification of the medallion/tag system could also be used in conjunction with human activities. In one embodiment, it may be attached to the belt loop of the dog handler. Such a human-focused medallion/tag may be designed to provide additional supporting or backup information to a command post, which might be particularly helpful should the service dog or dog handler become injured and/or incapacitated. Similarly, the tag may include a xe2x80x9cpanic buttonxe2x80x9d for the immediate summoning of emergency help. Embedded or integrated systems or components may be added to the medallion/tag and the tag may also be embedded or integrated into equipment or materials to provide similar monitoring reconnaissance.
By providing the telemetry available through the medallion/tag, an increased technical ability to incorporate feedback and input to service dog handlers in the field and during training helps continually improve the quality and the effectiveness of the animal-human relationship as well as providing for increased development of the medallion/tag technology set forth herein.
It is an object of the present invention to provide greater effectiveness for animals working in conjunction with human beings.
It is another object of the present invention to provide greater effectiveness for search and rescue dogs by being better able to locate such animals.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide search and rescue dogs the ability to gather information related to their environment and transmit it back to a human handler or the like.
It is yet another object of the present invention to enhance the bond between human beings and companion animals and enable them to function better in the field.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a compact tag or medallion which enables a search and rescue animal to be located.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a compact tag or medallion that enables a search and rescue animal to signal a handler and/or transmit signals relevant to the animal""s environment.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a compact tag or medallion that acts to sense the local environment surrounding the search and rescue animal and relay that information back to a human handler.